Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1887-02-17
Letter From Buenos Ayres.


|
ter sighting the light on Cape ST. Maria,
at the entrance or the river Plata, pilot
, boat came along and spoke me, inquiring
where | was bound, and on my telling
him | was bound to Buenos Ayres, he said
that the cholera was raging there so very
badly that people were dying by hundreds
and it WAS very unsafe for any one to go
near the city. He said be could not pilot
my vessel there unless | would give him
double pilotagc. As there is no pay unless
YOU have their services, | declined his
kind offer Daylight came and with it an
other pilot These people are always look
ing after my pocket book and seeing that
| do not get into trouble and lose my YES
sci, by not having their assistance. He
had n very bad story to tell me about the
epidemic in the city; five hundred were
DIVING daily business was at 4 >tandstill,
and he did not want to 20 there at all, but
would for consideration of one hundred
and fifty dollars. which was also declined.
Before got up to MonteSideo another pi-
lot boat spoke me. His tale was some
thing that frightened my crew. and lost
my appetite. The people in Buenos Ayrc>
we're nearly all dead What were left were
just waiting their turn 10 die. Il was all
most certain death for any person to gu
there. He was very sorry, but he would
have to risk his life 10 70 there, and would
HI
lars which was declined also. Night came
just as we passed MontcN ldeo. Soon af-
ter dark the fourth pilot came along, who
had a still worse tale than any OF the 9TH
crs. The tclcgrams to Monte, ideo that day
showed that some six hundred were dying
daily; all business was suspended; every
person that could leave had left or was
leaving; and all that remained were either
dead or expecting to die. He ais" was
very sorry that had TO run into almost
instant death hut for two hundred dollars
he would pilot me To Bucnos Ayrcs, and
take his chance To get away without land
ing. This was rather a bad outlook for
a man with little courage. and If any de-
pcndence could be placed in these report :,
a man certainly would begin to look at his
affairs and see how he stood with the world
he was about to enter, make up All csti
mate OF his debts. calculate hi, banking ac-
count and see how much he would leave
for his family. The rather gloomy
thoughts that must necessarily accompany
this business would certainly tend 10 de-
pres, rather than to elate ones feelings
and especially where a man has two days
suspense before he knows the actual state
OF affairs; ali the time revolving such re-
ports in his mind hc would soon bc iii
subject for any epidemic. As sailed up
the river determined to hail lghtship
that was passing and inquire how the
cholera was in BucnO> Ayrc>. ! did So and
the only reply l received was. very bad,
plenty OF men dead" This fixed me
must confess | went into my boots. ! be-
gan to mediate upon how | stood, and how
! could manage To steer clear of so malig
nant a disease, when a happy thought
struck me, that better not get fright
cned before | was hurt. ! dropped the
codicil that had already commenced and
soon arrived in sight of the city. As
approached with a fair wind the fleet in
the outer roads came in sight and the
guard ships close to which ! was to anchor
and receive visit before l could be al
lowed to land. | soon got near enough to
see people moving about on the guard ship
and saw tug boats moving between the
city and fleet. Soon | came to consider that
some persons were left; that all were not
dead and possibly the state of affairs was
not 50 bad as had been represented to me
by the pilots a little later | came 10
anchor, and waited the visit from the doc
tor, but waited in vain until night came
and found me without a visit. | began to
think what the pilots had told me was
true, that the officials were really all dead,
but after waiting sixteen hours the doctor
put in his appearance. He gave me permis-
sion to land. | inquired Of him if the
cholera was very bad and he said it was
large number of people dying with it,
about half of the cases proving fatal. l
began to gather courage and after he left
me gave boat the moderate sum of six
dollars to put me on shore, three miles
away, rather than use my own boat. The
first thing | saw when / landed was a
funeral procession. However, by this
time | had got together quite lot
fright now that had really got where the
trouble was. | found on inquiry that it
was not nearly so bad as had been repre-
sented to me; that the actual death rate is
about six, instead of six hundred daily, out
of population of three hundred and ninety
thousand, although report shows it is in
creasing, rather than diminishing, which
is not altogether so favorable for the peo-
pie who are obliged to remain here. The
excitement is in some degree abating, but
there is still some uneasiness when new
cases are reported. suppose that per-
son could not get the cholera here, even if
ue wanted IL, tutTt are actually 81 1e"
cases, Unless scme one just recovering
from his scare mentions cholera you new
er hear it spoken of, and once in the city
would not know by the general appearance
that there was any epidemic, although
Montevideo is closed against all ports in
the Argentine Republic. The funeral l
CHANGED to see when l landed was that Of
an old gentleman 50 years of age.
have come to the conclusion when
get frightened again into loss of appe-
tite, sleep, and commence my will that the
information / receive will have to come
from more reliable sources than the pres
ent informants. l shall not imagine my
self attacked with cholera, wreaking, with
pain, finally passing away, and considering
how the sad news will affect my family,
how they will be left, who will settle my
affairs, until see for myself what the ac-
tual state of things is.
l am, truly yours,
JOHN W. KANE.
D,,o,,oa Ayroe nac 1919